All I Need Is This Life
by DeRae9
Summary: A mysterious vampire arrives at Mystic Falls. Non-one knows who she really is except she's willing to help kill Claus. No-one knows it yet, but she has a past. A past that will unravel, a past that will disrupt but connect them all.


**Chapter 1: Home**

**Disclaimer**: I don't own vampire diaries or its scripts.

**A/N:** Hey guys this is a trial run, if you like it let me know and I'll continue it :) I will be continuing my Harry potter fic, so to my Harry Potter readers don't worry this fic won't get in the way of that!

Knowing what I know should be a crime. Too much information will surely hurt people. The past shouldn't be brought back to the present. But I know that in order to save them, I need to hurt them first. So here I go, walking into what surely will become cataclysmic events turning each and everyone's lives upside down. And when they do touch back down, their lives will be changed or maybe they will stay the same. I don't know that part yet. The story is only beginning. And even I don't know how it will end.

It's been such a long time since I've been back in Mystic Falls. Memories that I've been keeping inside start to materialise in front of me. Albeit the town has been modernised, blocks of concrete buildings jutting out into the low but existing skyline. A town square has been built, no dirt roads in sight. So much has changed in the town, not just with its physical appearance but also with its inhabitants. For a start there are a considerably more people who live here than in 1864. But regarding who runs the town hasn't changed at all. The Fells, the Forbes, The Lockwoods and the Gilberts are still heads of the council. So much for evolution. The advantage of arriving three days before the arranged meeting takes place is how much information you can discover. This only fuels what I already know. Well, I better get a move on. My welcoming committee may be getting a bit jittery. After all, it's not every day they get to meet a vampire with three thousand years of strength and knowledge.

Walking into the patch of grass at the centre of the Town Square was like walking into a bright spotlight on a dark stage. You can feel the eyes of your audience but you can't see them. I can sense them staring at me but I can't differentiate them from the crowd moving around the square. Oh of course I checked the place out before I walked into town but my welcoming committee is very sneaky, I can't tell or sense who is who. All I need is one of them to start "welcoming" me so-to speak and voila I can make the connection and single them all out.

Elijah needn't call a Bennet witch to summon me; I was already going to come back. How couldn't I, I promised I would, and I needed to. So, where are they? They wouldn't meet a very old vampire, who could potentially kill them all if she so desires, without having back up and stake outs at least an hour before the meeting. Not that I would kill them, of course not. I'm more evolved than that. Well, by the looks of it I've beaten them to the punch. I've been staking out Mystic Falls for the past two days. I know every place in town, both visible and invisible. It was no surprise that they wanted to meet in the middle of town square in the middle of the day, more civilians, and the less chance I'll go AWOL and attack them. Seriously! I'm not murderous. But hey, I understand their reasons. But I'm not stupid either. Come on guys, where are you?

I watch the people of Mystic Falls go about their business as I keep an eye out of for familiar faces who would greet me. Ten minutes later I see Elijah walking straight towards me. Well hello, there you are. Elijah the dog. I laugh to myself as he crosses the road from the Mystic Grill and walk across the town square to stand right in the middle of pedestrian traffic a few metres from me. Very Smart Elijah. I guess it's my turn. Well let's see where is the rest of the gang? I know there is one; Elijah wouldn't be working with them solely. I look to the left on top of the roof of the tallest building in town there stood Tyler Lockwood, seventeen years old with Caroline Forbes about the same age for now; after all she is a vampire. To the right on a balcony off a cafe I see the Bennett witch with two other male witches. And mingling around the square pretending to be civilians are the rest; a human boy, a human girl, and the two vampires of Mystic Falls; Stefan and Damon Salvatore. Well I was right about who were working together, I had paid the right families a visit.

"Annaliese." Elijah says my name as he walks and stands directly in front of me.

"Elijah. You summoned." I said coolly.

"We need your help." He replies.

"My help? Why ever for?" I say.

"I'll tell you, but we must really get out of public earshot."

"Hmm... I agree." As I finish the sentence I close the gap between us and grip the collar of his neck forcefully. "Now." I begin icily. "I don't want to cause a scene. But If I have to I will. You and I are going to have a little chat. Alone." I can feel the rest of them tense. "And the rest of your _gang_ will stay put and not follow us. Because if they make one move, I will slit _all_ of their throats open quicker than they can think about it." Elijah smiles a sly smile. "Please, you don't honestly think I haven't staked out the place before I came. I've been here for two days. I know each and every person in your little team and where they all live. And I've been invited to each and every one of their home. So they can't hide from me. They're e going to let us go so we can talk privately, ok?"

Elijah nods. "Good choice." I say. I turn my head to the left and wink at the incredibly handsome and stunned face of Damon Salvatore as I speed off with Elijah out of town.

I took Elijah twenty miles south of the town in no more than 30 seconds. Yes, I am that fast. I let go of Elijah's arm so he can straighten out. I focus my hearing as I try to hear out any evidence of any of them following us. Nothing, that's good.

"They wouldn't have followed us. And even if they did, they wouldn't get here for a good half an hour." Elijah spoke up, smiling. "You got really fast."

"Why thank you." I smile. "So, can we hug now?" I ask.

Elijah laughs and gives me an affectionate hug.

"So we fooled them?" I ask.

"They have no idea that you're harmless, willing to help or one of my closest friends." He said.

I breathe out. "How long do I have to scare them for? Because you know one of them already knows who I am and why I'm here. You're putting him in a difficult situation."

"Oh please, you know he's revelling in it."

"That's true."

"I guess we can drop it now. You actually really scared them."

"Why thank you! That was one of my best performances."

"Let's go back and introduce you to them. Well, to the ones you don't know about." He says.

"Ok!" I say excitedly. But I as turn to run Elijah caught my arm.

He spoke gently, "It's different now Anne. You know that right?"

I turn and to look him in the eye; I know what he's talking about all too well. And I still don't know how I feel about it or what I should do. "I know Elijah." I turn my head back to the direction of Mystic Falls, the home I've been longing to go back to for one hundred and forty-five years.

"Ok." He said softly. "Let's concentrate on what we need to do."

I laugh sadly, "Yes, lets." I turn back to him and smile. "Race you!" And I run back to Mystic Falls. Back to home.

* * *

Elijah and I slow to a walk as we step onto the driveway of the Salvatore Boarding house. I look around taking in its beautiful exterior.

"I like it!" I exclaim. The Salvatore's had always had good taste in architecture.

"You didn't stake this house out?" Elijah says from behind me.

"Of course I did." I turn and smile at him. "But I still appreciate it."

"I'll go in first and then I'll call you." He says sternly.

I nod. Elijah walks to the door and steps inside.

Yeah, like I'm going to stay out here. I jump onto the roof and land without a sound. I walk along the roof and guess where the closest upstairs window would be and swing myself off the roof holding onto the gutter and forcefully but noiselessly push open the unlocked window. I step onto what appears to be a landing above the living room. I look around, _wow_, great interiors too. I glide across the hardwood floors and stand leaning on the railing to look at the scene below. Elijah is facing the group of people, there's more people here than there was in town square, impressive. Elijah's made many allies. Their backs was facing me so I stand comfortably listening to them argue.

"What the hell was all that about?" said a tall, young looking human boy, the same one in town square, Jeremy Gilbert. "You expect us to believe that a dangerously old vampire left you alive?"

"Yes, and she's willing to help." Elijah reasons.

"What does she want for it?" That voice. I turn to look at the head of hair so familiar but so different. Elena. Katherine's doppelganger and the reason why I'm here. Well, one of the reasons.

"Nothing." Elijah answers.

"That can't be true. There has to be something she wants from us. She wouldn't want to help without wanting something back."

I would know that voice anywhere, Stefan.

"I agree with everyone. That bitch wouldn't agree without pay." Ouch. I know exactly who that is, Damon.

"Exactly." Caroline speaks up. "I mean come on, what you've said about her –" Ooohh now I'm interested. "– Being all old, ugly and evil-" _what?_ "- because she's lost all her humanity from being a vampire for so long. She's not going to helps us without wanting to kill one of us for her own sacrifice. A vampire like her-"

Ok, I've heard enough, I'm speaking up.

"A vampire like me?" I speak into the room.

Every single person tenses up. And slowly turn their heads up and around. Only to find I'm no longer at the upstairs landing.

"I'm here." I stand next to Elijah at the front of the room.

I want to laugh. All of their faces where either scared, petrified or in a scowl.

"Aw. Don't all look so serious. I'm not going to bite." I say playfully as I wink at them.

I took a wooden chair and place it backwards to sit on it. "A vampire like me doesn't like being talked about behind her back. Especially when she hears everything from outside. Not that I stayed outside, I've been upstairs all along"

"I told you to stay outside. This isn't helping your case." Elijah warns me.

"See! There is a case." Jeremy says.

I look at him seriously. "What's your name?" I ask.

He hesitates, looks to his left at Elena and hesitantly answers, "Jeremy."

I smiled. "I already knew that. I know all of you, your family history even down to your school, medical and even your dental records. Caroline, you have really bad teeth. Good thing you're a vampire you don't have to worry about that. We have perfect teeth." I smile at her and then look at each of them in turn. "Well I kind of figured that none of you would actually welcome me with open arms and introduce yourself to me let alone tell me anything about yourselves, knowing I had to pretend to be a psychotic vampire, so I took the liberty of doing it myself."

I turn to Elijah, "You've been painting a very horrific picture in their heads about me." I turn back to the group, "And I'm nothing like what he said. Ok, maybe a little bit on the existential side but over all I'm a nice person. See the whole; I'm evil and apparently_ ugly_. Was all a ruse to get you guys to be cautious about me so that I know your full intentions and not secretly working with Claus to give me up to him for Elena's life."

They all look bewilderingly at me. Ok, so now I know they're not working for Claus.

"How about you introduce yourself to me and I'll let you ask me anything you want. "

No-one blinks I don't think they've even taken a breath. They're all sitting there in disbelief at the change of tension and my lack of threats. I decide to do the introductions myself.

"Ok so I'll introduce you to me. Let's start from Caroline her on the right." I look to Caroline and proceed to say what I know about her. "You are seventeen and will forever be seventeen because dear old Katherine turned you. Yes, we all know she's a bitch that seriously needs to _die_. Next to you is Tyler." I look to her left and the Lockwood boy quickly turns his eyes on me with a murderous scowl looking like he wants growl. "Easy there Kujo. You are Tyler Lockwood who triggered your ancestral curse and turned you into a werewolf. Next to you is Matt, a human. By the way, the three of you really need to sort out you issues, there's so much sexual tension between you. Then there is Alaric, Isobel's ex-husband, who also needs to be decapitated. No offence. Next Alaric is Damon Salvatore. Well, need I say more? Man hoar. In the middle of course is Elena, Katherine's doppelganger who Claus wants to sacrifice in an altar along with Taylor and Caroline to break the Aztec Curse; free the Vampires from being slaves to the sun and keep werewolves slaving away to the moon and so on and so on. Next to her is Stefan Salvatore. I don't need to say anymore than that either. And here we have Jeremy, holder of the invincibility ring just like Alaric which Gilbert made in 1964 that is blessed by Emily's magic which coincidently is the ancestor of Bonnie Bennet sitting next to Jeremy. And we can't leave out the Martins. One of the original families of Salem who incidentally, works for Elijah. And Elijah, dear old friend. Who can compel any vampire and human. Don't worry guys, Elijah and I go way back. We're actually really good friends." To prove my point I stand up and hug Elijah dramatically.

I look to Elijah, "Is someone else in the team that isn't here? Or is that it?"

An even more potent silence fills the room as I finish. Except, "How do you know so much about us?" Stefan Salvatore breaks the deafening silence.

"Stefan, always so serious." I say. "I just do."

"So I'm guessing were here to stop Claus from killing Elena, Tyler and Caroline. None of you want the curse broken and you need my help." I say.

No one says anything. Ok, the silence is getting to me a little bit. "Come one guys, I need more than this. You want my help you got it. But you can't use it until you start to at least, talk to me"

I start bartering with them, "Free shot of questions, and I'll answer as much as I can."

"Ok". Bonnie spoke up. "How old are you really."

"Umm... the exact year? Let's see. The blood that runs through my veins are... three thousand one hundred and forty-five years old. I think." I answer.

"You're old." Caroline and Tyler both say.

"Yes kids I am." I smile at them.

"Where are you from originally?" Matt asks.

I smile at him, "Europe."

"How do you know Elijah?" Alaric asks.

"I met him when I first turned into a vampire; he helped me through the transition." I turn to Elijah. "And we've have been friends and allies since then."

"Will you kill Claus?" Stefan asks.

I look at him. "If have to, I will." I answer truthfully.

"How are you going to do that?" Damon says.

I told them everything. "We need to lure Claus out of hiding so that he can be the one to personally hunt Elena. And to do that we need to kill all of the vampires that he sends to capture Elena so that he can think of them incompetent and he has to be the one to do job himself. So when he does come out, we trap him into the tomb where Katherine is currently prisoner. Everyone has a job; the witches will track Claus' movements through a tracking spell - "

"We can't do that without something of his." Jonas says.

"Don't worry." I reply. "I got it covered."

I continue, "The rest of the group the humans included will train with me and Bonnie."

"Bonnie?" Jeremy asks.

"She's going to teach all of you how to make simple charms and amulets to protect you. It won't be ridiculously strong but any advantage to our side helps." I say.

"We know how to fight too. We can teach." Tyler speaks up, gesturing to the vampires and him.

"No you can't. All of you have the strength. But you don't have the skill or knowledge to fight originals properly. That's where I come in." I say.

"We can fight "properly"." Damon says using air quotes with his fingers.

"No you can't." I say seriously.

Damon scoffs.

"Tell me Damon. How did your last assassination attempt on one of Claus' henchmen go?" I ask. I look at Elijah. "I'd say it didn't go too well since Elijah's still alive." I turn back to him.

Damon looks murderous.

"You can look at me like that as much as you want and it's still a no. You can't fight let alone kill his allies properly. It's almost impossible to kill them, they're old just like Elijah and it's a combination of strength and skill to kill them and make sure they stay down without a dagger infused with white ash wood. Forever."

After a few more hours of talking to them and asking them kindly now that I was getting quite tired arguing with them about every little thing, they have sort-of at least for the night they have relented and has taken a bit kindly to me.

As I was going through the first activity on the plan my head starts to spin. I was slowly leaning too far off the edge of my chair and was about to fall to the floor when a pair of strong hands caught me.

"You need to rest."

I look up to see a pair of green eyes and my head to start to spin even faster.

"Anne." I can hear Elijah's worried voice next to me. "Stefan, take her to a room and let her rest."

The hands that are holding me stands me up. "Wait." I say. "Let me get my feet." It took me longer than it should have to be steady.

"I thought the older you are the stronger you get." Says Caroline.

"You do." I say. "I haven't fed for a month. And only now I'm feeling the effects of it." I turn to her and smile. "I'm stronger yes, but I have my weaknesses."

"You haven't fed!" Elijah exclaims. "Annaliese that's careless! Why in the world would you leave without feeding?"

"Because I was excited to be here ok Elijah! Cut me some slack!" I say. My head stops spinning and I was ready to walk. "Stefan I'm fine now. Thanks."

But Stefan didn't let me go. As soon I said that I can feel myself falling again. Thankfully Stefan was steadying me. "Damn!" I curse. "I need to feed."

"We have blood bags, go upstairs and we'll bring it up to you." Damon says.

I look up at him, "Thanks."

He nods.

I didn't realise that everyone was staring up at me silently. I start to laugh. "Ogle why don't you guys. Goodnight. We'll get started tomorrow."

None of them said anything back as Stefan leads me out of the room. Well at least they're not looking at me too suspiciously anymore.

"I hope you feel better Annaliese." Came Elena's voice.

I look at her for a long time, I smile, "Thanks Elena."

Stefan walks me out of the large living room and up the stairs to a room with a glass door that leads out into a balcony.

"There's a bathroom just here." Stefan points to a door on the right wall.

I stand up straight and took the room in. "I like your room." I say.

"Yeah?" he smiles. "How do you know it's my room?"

"Damon was nice down there; I figured that was the extent of his kindness to me."

Stefan laughs.

'It's ok, I think I can walk steady now."

I walk over to the old Victorian cabinet against the corner of the right wall. "Great antique. Where is this from?" I inquire.

"1800s. Victorian. It was mine when I was human." Stefan answers.

I close my eyes and use my hand to lean on the antique. Stefan mistook it for nausea and says, "I'll be right back with blood."

When he was out of earshot I open my eyes and open the cabinet door. It's full of leather bound books, written on the side are different years. On the second shelf from the top I run my hands on the old varnished panel. I feel for a ridge that will drop an unknown compartment if I pull. _Here it is_, I pull and a leather bound book falls, written on the side is the year 1863. I turn towards the door and listen. They were still in the living room. I place the panel securely in place and tuck the book in the inside of my jacket and close the cabinet door.

I turn back to the room.

"I'm sorry it's not warm." Stefan appears in the doorway.

Unstartled I turn to him, "That's ok. I'm grateful for anything I can get."

He walks over to me unsuspicious and hands me the bag of blood.

I take it from him, rip the edge with my teeth and begin to drink. Oh my goodness. It feels like life is flowing through my veins. After one bag of blood I'm almost as good as new. I want to explore the town some more. I toss it back to Stefan and wipe my mouth with the back of my hand.

"All of your strength is back with just one bag of blood after a month without it?" Stefan asks.

"Most of my strength is back. Nothing a good night's sleep can't fix." I say, hinting that I want to be left alone.

"Sure. I'll leave you to it." He walks out of the room.

"Stefan." I call to him.

He turns back.

"Thank you." I say.

He nods.

As Stefan closes the door I walk out onto the balcony and leap off of it to the ground below. There's something I need to do, somewhere I have to be. With the book safely in my jacket I run through the woods like my life depends on it.

I've been running for only five minutes but already I was almost out of town. There it is. The clearing. I burst out of the woods and into a small clearing at the edge of a steep cliff bordering a quaint but magnificent lake. It's now night and the stars are shining in the black canvas that is the sky. It's like a painting; the deep sapphire blue of the water meets the sky at the horizon, the two almost become one. Like it always did, the view has made me speechless. I take in the view for another ten minutes. I then sit between the roots of an old oak tree at the edge of the clearing. I take out the book that I know to be a journal and open it to the bookmarked page.

My heart swell as the picture that I know I would find there appears. The faces of the people in it smile up at me like we are the best of friends. I can't help but smile but I can feel a tear slide down my cheek as my friend Damon Salvatore smile up at me from the old photograph. Suddenly, I hear the scuttling of grass. Hurriedly, I close the journal and look up. The same face, never aging and always smiling in that sly but playful smile; Damon Salvatore.

He says, "Hey Annie."


End file.
